Seeder



a 4 Sheets-Sheet 2. C.W.LEVALLEY. v*

SBEDER.

No. 338,987. APfl/sented Mar. 30, 1886.

Wit Messes.' In bei: taz/X 1 (N Modl.) 4 sheets-sheet 3.

C. W. LEVALLBY.

SEEDER.

No. 338,987. Patented Mar. 30, 1886.

W tu/eases. Innen/6dr.'

(No Model.) 4 sheetssheet 4.

G. W: LEVALLBY.

SBEDER.

No. 338,987. Patented Mar. 30, 1886.

i Q s I -E I i I i lll I8 l 'l iw E HH 1 W few L, II

WL'nes ses.' IWI/eviti' fg -A N. Firms, Pnnlumagnphm, wasmnglnn. D. c.

llNTTnn STATES PATENT OFFICE..

CHRISTOPHER XV. LEVALLEY, OF ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA.

SEEDER.

PBCIPICATION forming part of Letters Patent No 338,987, dated hdarch 30,1886. Application filed July 13, 1883. Serial No. 100,756. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom it may concern: plate, E, providedl with perforations through Be it known that I, CHRISTOPHER W. LE- which bolts b2 pass into the lower edges of the VALLEY, a citizen of the United States, residsides A, as shown in Fig. 3. One of these 55 ing at St. Paul, in the county of Ramsey and dat wing-pieces, D, is provided at its outer 5 State of Minnesota, have invented certain new Widest end with upwardly-projeeting perfoand useful Improvements in Seeders, of which rated ears d (l, through which screws c pass the following is a specification, reference being into the side boards, A, as indicated in Figs. had therein to the accompanying drawings. 3, 5, and 6, or, when preferred, the opposite 6o Figure l is a rear elevation ofthe hopper of wing,D,has its outer end shouldered and proto a seeding-machine containing my invention. vided with an angular lip or flange, D3, which Fig. 2 is a transverse section on line x t, Fig. lits into a correspondingly-shaped recess 0r l. Fig. 3 is a transverse section showing a rabbet, D4, formed for its reception in the modification. Fig. iis a partial bottom View. 'adjacent end of the wing D, thus locking the 65 Fig. 5 is a partial longitudinal section. Fig. parts firmly together and forming a tight joint I5 6 is a partial plan or top view. Fig. 7 is an to prevent the escape of seed. Each of the elevation of a feed-tube. Figs. S, 9, l0, l1 are wings is provided at its converging sides with detailed views. projecting lips, preferably wedge-shaped in In the drawings, A A are the front and rear crosssection, which are seated in grooves 7o converging sides of the hopper. A is the formed for their reception in the sides A A of 2o cover hinged to one ofthe sides, and Azis one the hopper, thus assisting to support the of the ends. The bottom of the hopper is parts firmly iu their desired relation and preformed of separable pieces of cast metal of vent the escape of seed.

peculiar form, which is to be hereinafter dee is au opening, preferably square, formed 75 scribed. centrally in the bottom plate, E, and having 2 5 In Fig. 2, B B B represent segmental por the converging sides, so that the whole is surtions of a hub, each provided with two radial rounded by a comparatively sharp edge at the flanges, B l5', the inner portions of each seglower surface of the plate. ment being circular in form, so that when the Gisadownwardly-projecting annular lla-nge 8o parts are bolted together they shall clasp cast in one piece with the bottom plate, E.

o tightly a driving-shaft, D2, which extends the This flange is not continuous, but is broken entire length of the hopper, and projects away upon its rear side, forming a throat, g. through one end thereof. Each of these radial g g are angular slots formed in the flange llanges is provided near its end with a per- G and opening downwardly. 85 foration adapted to receive a clamping bolt F is a gate pivoted at f to the under surface 35 and nut, Z b, by means of which these lianges of the plate E. The form of this gate is can be made to grasp tightly a flexible blade, shown plainly in Fig. 4-,where itis represented O, the thickness ofthe blades being such as to in two positions, one full lines and one dotted permit the segments to be secured so closely lines. The cndf of this gate projects rear- 9 u together that their central portions shall grip wardly, though the throat g extends beyond the .lo the driving-shaft, while at the same time the rear wall A of the hopper and through a slot, blades shall be held irmly in position. Thus L, in a carrier, H h, mounted upon a gateit will be seen that these parts B B C b b conrod, I, to which it is attached by set-screw z'. stitute a feedingwheel which can be adjusted The walls at the ends ofthe sloth are beveled 95 longitudinally upon the feeding-shaft, and it or rounded, as shown in Figs. 4 and l0, so as 45 will also be seen that this wheel can be readily to insure their ltting closely upon opposite applied to or removed from the shaft without sides of the projecting end j" of the gate, while taking the shaft from its bearings, whenever permitting the desired freedom of movement it is found desirable to do so. without clamping the parts.

Each of the metal sections of which the K K are supporting-brackets bolted to the 5o bottom is composed consists,essentially,of two rear wall A of the hopper and provided at flat wing-pieces, D D', which converge and are 'their lower ends with circular seats, in which joined. at their lower ends by a transverse the gate-rod I is supported.

IOC

M is a gate-lever, pivoted at m to the rear wall of the hopper, and having its lower end slotted to receive a stud, m2, which projects from a socket piece or hub, m, surrounding the gate-rod I, to which it is adjustably secured by means of set-screw m5. The upper end of the gate-lever is arranged behind a slotted strap, M2, secured to the hopper, the lever carrying a stud-bolt and thumb-nut, m3.

mi is a binder attached to or cast in one piece with the lever in such position that its point travels in close proximity to the upper curved edge of the strap M2, which latter is provided with a series of figures to indicate approximately the amount of seed sown to the acre under any ofthe various adjustments of the lever.

The driving-shaft D2 rotates in bearings D6 formed in upwardly-projecting lugs, each of which is cast in one and the same piece with one of the metal bottom sections, D D. This shaft projects through the end wall A, and through a bearing, N', attached to the outer' face of the end board.

N is a collar secured to the shaft inside the end board,and N2 is a sprocket-wheel secured to the driving-shaft by a set-screw, n, which` passes through the sprocket-wheel hub,whieh abuts against the outer face of the bearing N, so that by means of the hub of the sprocketwheel and the collar N endwise movement of the shaft is prevented.

In Fig. 3 I have shown the hub of the feedwheel as being cast in two-parts, O,which are divided on the line Z. O is a bolt passing through the hub-sections and the shaft on a line at right angles to the line Z, thereby holding the two hub-sections together. The driving-shaft is provided withY a slot through which the bolt O passes, and o is a set-screw seated in one half of the hub, whereby the feed-wheel may be secured upon the drivingshaft and adj usted longitudinally. In this Fig. 3 the elastic blades C are secured to the radial wings O2 by means of bolts o and nuts o.

In Fig. 7 I have represented the feed-spout P, provided with a separator P,which is supported on the arm p, a short distance below the mouth of the tube, the upper surface of the separator being convex or cone-shaped, as is customary in this class of machines. The upper end of the tube is provided with two inwardly-projecting spurs, p2, which are diametrically opposite each other, and is recessed or cut away upon its rear side, as at, p.

By an examination of Figs. et and 7 it will be readily understood that the tube can be suspended from the flange G by inserting the spurs p2 in the angular slots g, thus constituting a bayonet-joint, and it will be readily seen that the relation of parts is such that the'gate F may, when the set-screw c' is released,be moved into such position as will admit of the tube being applied to flange, G, the lever being moved to one end of the throat g and of the recessed portion p of the tube; yet when the gat-e is in working position the tube cannot be detached from the flange, because the recessed portion p is not wide enough to permit the tube to be vrotated on the ange to such extent as will permit the spurs pt to be withdrawn from the slots g.

I am aware that what are called forcefeed seeding-machines7 have been constructed with discharge-openings below the hopper and a series of separately adjustable valves or gates for regulating the size of the dischargeopenings, the valves being connected to an oscillating rod, whereby after the adjustments havebeen made all the valves can be operated; hence I do not claim such construction; but in those earlier machines the valves were not arranged to close or partially close the openings in the bottom of the hopper, because the sizes of these openings were never changed, these openings communicating directly with the shells or casings of the force-feeding devices arranged below the hopper, the openingsin these last-mentioned shells or casings being closed by valves which vibrate in vertical planes; whereas in my machine the mechanism which agitates the seed in order to facilitate its passage through the dischargeopenings is arranged above the bottom of the hopper, andthe openings inY the hopper-bottom are increased or diminished by the movement of the valves or gates, which latter are pivoted directly to the hopper-bottom and vibrate in horizontal planes when actuated by a rod,whieh also slides in a horizontal plane.

l. In a seeding-machine, the combination, with the detachable sections having wings D D,of the seed-hopper sides provided with inclined grooves adapted to receive and support the edges of the wings, substantially as set forth.

2. In aseeding machine,a hopper provided in the bottom with aseries of discharge-openings,in combination with aseries ofhorizontally-vibrating gates pivoted to the lower face of the hopper, a horizontally-sliding bar, and means for adjustably connecting each of the gates to the sliding bar, whereby each gate may be separately adjusted relative to its adjacent discharge-opening, and after such adjustment has been made the series may be operated simultaneously to regulate the sizes of all the openings through the hopper-bottom, substantially as set forth.

3. In a seeder, a wheel formed in sections divided on a line parallel with the axis of the driving-shaft, substantially as set forth.

4.. In a seeder, a feed-wheel formed in sections divided on a line parallel with the axis of the driving-shaft,in combination with flexible blades secured between the sections of the feed-wheel, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence ot' two witnesses.

CHRISTOPHER W. LEVALLEY.

Witnesses:

IV. C. HUNTER, JOHN A. MAcDoNALD.

IOO

tog

IIO

IIS 

